Do you go on camera on Teams?

[thelastgoonthemerrygo]

I had a meeting with a supplier today and he had his camera off the entire time and I just find it unprofessional, like you’re suppose to be building up a relationship and I’m just talking to a black screen.

Ive worked with colleagues I’ve not met in person and they still don’t go on camera. So bedsides a profile photo I’ve don’t have much idea what they look like.

I say this as someone who hates seeing myself on camera.

Same.
Some managers stipulate camera on and I oblige but other then that I tend to leave mine off.
My team have all worked together pre covid and know each other outside of work so we don’t have an issue.

Never. Not if I can help it

Camera off for me, always. Until I get bollocked from my boss for having gaffer tape stuck over my camera I will always be camera off.

I hate the bloody things with a passion.

If whoever I’m on the call with has their camera on that’s up to them – I won’t be switching mine on and they can like it or lump it.

Thankfully our company respects the preferences of individuals so it’s not an issue.

In my business and industry it's now totally normal to go on camera during every Zoom/Teams call and webinar.

If you were not on camera, you'd give an explanation for it.

If someone isn't on camera during the meeting, I presume they aren't paying attention or participating. We only have meetings with about 12-15 people maximum though. Not sure how it would be if it was bigger.

There are a lot of good logo backgrounds available now so you don't have to be showing people your home space or work space if you don't want to.

Oh, and I love the fact that Zoom has an 'improve my appearance' function.

I am mesmerised with how I look - I hate it when people suggest Teams instead 🤣🤣

I don’t, but that’s because I can’t function with the distraction of seeing people’s faces on calls (I turn off incoming video for the same reason). It’s actually a documented reasonable adjustment for me - culture is very much cameras on.

People who work with me closely understand; I have a variety of excuses for everyone else.

I think it should be camera on unless extenuating circumstances or a large meeting where it’s more of a presentation. Otherwise it’s not a replacement for a real meeting and you should go back to the office and do it in person.

Fucking hated doing a whole project with a bunch of people who I’d never even seen. It also became very difficult when one person began bullying people.

Of course I do.
Because I am an adult, and an adult that is paid to do a role and behave professionally.

I wfh (in a bedroom) but I just use a background. Nobody is looking round my house.

Depends.

Largely on whether I’m still in my dressing gown. Which is quite often.

Put a background on or just blur the background. That's what the functionality is for.

Camera off. I work from home and usually have hair scrapped up and possibly pjs on. Doesn't stop me working.

I use a desk top so I dont have a camera, Im also sick of everyone having their camera on and it all pixellating and going wrong because of the wifi, it gets better when they turn their camera off

If Im on the laptop which is rare and the wifi is ok, then I put my camera on, theres no room on the desk to do this though which means Im looking at a different screen to where the camera is, its a ball ache and have to juggle the laptop around my desktop screens and other stuff on the desk

We dont have any other way of making phone calls, its all on teams now so a phone call is a teams call, but its still a phone call.

Camera on is company policy for us.

Lots of us use backgrounds though.

I always do if it's 1 on 1, just a few of us, or a team meeting. If alot of people and one person is presenting then I usually turn off. I find it really rude if someone keeps camera off when it's just the two of you unless they give a reason why ie bandwidth or something

I pretty quickly in lock down realised no one can really see if you're wearing make up on Teams or zoom, etc so I stopped bothering if I didn't feel like it. What I did find was using Teams and seeing colleagues has meant I have stronger working relationships with people. I work in a global company and before Teams we'd only see people occasionally on larger zoom calls and only speak with them over the phone. I think it's a powerful tool and beneficial, even if there are glitches.

To be fair you have no idea if someone is attentive and focused with cameras off.

this

Internal meetings cameras on 💯 of the time external meetings where there are loads of people and I’m unlikely to speak I’ll usually switch it off at some point. Today I switched it off and did a load of printing. Seriously doubt I was the only one doing something unrelated

If I speak with clients I put my camera on, but generally don't, mostly because I'm in tech and we don't bother

I do put my camera on. My face is deformed, so it’s not great, but I feel I owe it to my fellow meeting participants. When people don’t put their cameras on, it strikes me as discourteous.

Very mixed in my experience. Probably about 65:35 in favour of camera off. Some customers and colleagues will always put their camera on, in which case I follow suit, many others not. I see why it’s useful if you’re getting to know someone, but if everyone knows each other well or it’s just a call to resolve something quickly I don’t see that it’s strictly necessary. I have many calls with customers I have never seen. We get stuff done and it’s all professional. Also, we’re mainly looking at a document on the screen which means I’m not watching body language anyway.

I was doing conference calls for many years before Teams came along so maybe that’s why I don’t see the whole camera off thing as a taboo. This is just conference calling with an additional feature.

Under 5 people, yes. Any more than that, no. What I find worse than cameras off is those who put their cameras on then clearly pay zero attention to the meeting/webinar/presentation and make a big show of being "busy".

I do. I quite like it 😂